who says pit bulls aren't vicious

Yeah. Animal control is often full of bureaucrats that don't care. Unless, that is, someone tries to sell a goldfish to a minor. Then they throw you in jail.

.

 

This is so true. My girl and I just got a new dog, 8 month old mixed breed with a remarkable amount of energy. She's not at all aggressive, but her behavior in general is vastly different on days when she gets walked vs. the days when we can't take her on long walks.

We also got her a backpack that we use to keep her poop bags, and some water, and a collapsible bowl, etc for when we hike. Adds a bit of weight and makes the exercise more efficient. I've also noticed that on some days when she's unruly, just pushing her down until she submits will change her behavior for weeks. Another part of dealing with aggression is calmly and gently instilling in the dog's mind that you (and all people) are the boss.

 

That is not right. You don't want to break your dogs spirit which is what you would have to do in order for it to acknowledge all people as their superior.

You want to instill into YOUR pack, that YOU are the leader.

The rest though is right on.... it is all about energy, both the energy your dog needs to expend, and the energy that you put out when you are dealing with them.

 

Who said anything about breaking the dog's spirit? It does no good for the dog's safety or the safety of others if the dog will be submissive to you but won't be submissive or shows aggression towards other people.

 

You did, twice now.

The only animal that will be submissive to everyone, is one with a broken spirit.

 

I haven't said it once. Any other words you'd like to put in my mouth before we continue?

 

Dogs are pack creatures, in those packs, they have a hierarchy. Those outside the pack are just that, outside the pack. The dogs take their cues from their pack leader.

If you are the pack leader, they will not show aggression towards those outside the pack UNLESS you give them the energy to do so.

To teach a dog to submit to any and all humans, is to break its spirit by destroying it's sense of it's place in the world.

 

You have yet to show where I suggested that it is important that one "break a dog's spirit", other than where you have made reaching inferences.

Teaching a dog that he or she not the boss is not "breaking it's spirit." I think you've taken Jack London way too literally.

Really though, if teaching the dog not be aggressive with humans is breaking her spirit, why train her at all? Why leash her when I walk her or teach her not to jump all over my 4 year old niece? What a cruelly broken dog I must have. And hey man, why cut down the trees to build our houses, we're breaking the spirit of forest! We're all like, one man! :toke:

 

There is a huge difference between teaching a dog to not be aggressive towards others, and teaching them to be submissive towards everyone.

To make them submissive to all humans, you must break their spirit.


To teach them not to be aggressive you must help them find their place within their pack not destroy the concept of a pack altogether.

This is about understanding the nature of the animals you are working with, either you do, or you don't.

 

you know, my blonde lab is still aggressive to strangers bigger than children. and he's a lab. a dog is a dog is a dog. some are just loads more effective when they get pissed.

 

If you ever want, to qualify this instead of just stating this hypothetical as fact, feel free. Until then I can only assume it's nonsense. It doesn't mean anything.

Ohhh, so it's a mystery that you can't explain. How convenient. It's not like we have a century of modern veterinary science, millenia of breeding experience, and decades of personal experience to draw on and learn from.

 

It was explained.

 

:rofl:

If you say so. I'll take my leave; I'm done trying to pry a reasonable interpretation out of you for your vacuous crap. I've got a dog to walk...





AND A SPIRIT TO CRUSH :beatdeadhorse5:

 

Okay then, have fun.

 

Edit: But Tom, you are right that dominance in training is more important with pitbulls than other breeds.

The main reasons for this are their high intelligence and energy. They get bored, so they need to be able to know not to get in trouble. When I left my second pitbull alone in the house for a real long time he'd start to tear shit up. Enough training and that problem stopped.

But I didn't have to break his spirit. That dog loved every second of life with his master.

 

Nowhere have I said training a dog breaks it's spirit. The fact that some people keep missing this and equating training with breaking a dogs spirit is beyond me.

 

One thing I've learned while training my new puppy is that, essentially, all training is dominance. It's not about getting the dog to learn commands or tricks. They aren't stupid; they learn fairly quickly that "sit" means to plant their butt on the floor or that "come" means to go to whomever is saying it. Training is about teaching that they should do those things when you say so, because you're the boss.

The reason it's more important in larger breeds is that the worst a pomeranian can do if it thinks it's the boss is pee on the chair leg (believe me, I know).

 

This is a dangerous dog! Well, could be for sure.

 

Stop posting killer dog pictures!!

Just teasing you. I am a dog person, so I happen to think that your dogs look lovely.

 

training is about repetition and showing the dog what is expected of them.

dominance is dominance, and Tom has the right idea in explaining that dynamic. my dogs are submissive to me. and when there is a new situation or person, they look to me for guidance. anything else would be unhealthy; either too unruly or skiddish.